Just Die Twice
by Koulin
Summary: Aizen's army was captured and sent back to Seireitei,slowly waiting for their own execution.What would the good and bad side feel about this?Will the death of the drak side break any hearts?AizenGin GinAizen,slight GinRan and other pairings as wellR
1. Chapter 1

Please do not expect too much updates from this story, since I had promised that I would finish another story (about Naruto and Harry Potter crossover, or rather, The Legendary Sannins and Harry Potter crossover). I did this story N years ago and had managed to ditch it, so my friend just helped me typed this up and posted it in yaoi! (Cheers at AizenGin or GinAizen, however you like it) There would be a little of GinRangiku :)

------------- ---------------------------- ------------------------- --------------------------- -------

Just Die Twice

"_If everyone cared, and nobody cry,_

_If everyone loved, and nobody lie,_

_If everyone shared, and swallowed the pride,_

_Then we'd see the day, where nobody died…"_

Ichimaru Gin smiled. He had always liked this song, even for almost no reason at all. And since people had mentioned that he has a good voice, singing it inside his cell right now, he thought, probably wouldn't disturb the other prisoners as much. Not even Aizen Sousuke.

In fact, Aizen just sat there, inside his individual cell away and apart from his other loyal 'servants'. And all he did was smile. He'd still smiled during his capture by other elite Shinigami two days ago; he still smiled and did not complain for even a second when he was shoved roughly be his captors into this hideous cell with a red, spiritual-like choker firmly attached to his neck. Everywhere was a shade of white inside the cell during daytime except for the cold metal bars. It was cold and dry, and there sure was the lack of furniture since the only thing visible inside the cell was a wooden plank stuck to one side of the wall in which Grimmjaw had assumed it to be a table, a bench, and a bed all together nonetheless.

Even through these poor conditions, Aizen still kept his smile. This, (much to his hidden pleasure) had surely annoyed Abarai Renji a lot when he was checking on the prisoners yesterday.

He had glared daggers at Aizen when he wouldn't even _pretend_ to be having a lot of suffering since his was captured, "You know, Aizen-Taichou…or rather, Sousuke Aizen, I'm quite impressed that you're still so cheerful even though the day of your execution is only a week from now."

Aizen had, of course, smiled at his words, and had placed his fingertips together dramatically as he spoke, "Ah ha ha, you seemed to be quite happy about this."

Renji had no trouble showing his feelings, "Yes I am. In fact, everyone in Soul Society is happy that you and your loyal 'friends' had been finally captured. And I was quite surprised; You, Sousuke Aizen, once the Captain of the Fifth Division, then the leader of thousands and millions of Hollows, had actually failed to escape the last trap set by us and got captured," he smirked, "No offense, but it's quite pathetic. Somehow reminds me of the other you. Way too innocent and kind, and perhaps, gullible."

Aizen laughed, "That means I'm neither pathetic, innocent, kind, nor gullible. Because unless you've forgotten, the other me did not _exist_, and I thought I said that three years ago before my departure." Renji snorted, turning around and marching out of the tower without saying a word, thinking it would be pointless to argue anyways.

"Goddamn freaks of Shinigami don't know when to keep their mouths shut!" Grimmjaw smirked and called after him, receiving nothing back. Yet he was quite sure Renji would be boiling with anger by now.

Cells located on high, white towers (aka Senzaikyuu) weren't the most comfortable place one would consider, mind you. Ichimaru Gin, currently bored to death, had somehow developed a habit of humming, which had, eventually, lead to singing (much to Grimmjaw's discomfort). "I really appreciate your lovely voice, Ichimaru sir," he said sarcastically, "but if you want to sing, _sing something totally different_."

"Why's tha'?" Gin asked curiously, though no doubt his words were still full of sarcasm. "Unless you've developed some kind of rare brain disease, you might as well know that the lyrics of that stupid song are supposed to be _against the way we're handling things_." Grimmjaw didn't even bother to be polite to someone that had a higher rank than him, and Tousen had glared and shot him a warning look.

Yet Gin neither twitched with anger nor did anything to express his annoyance toward Grimmjaw, but instead he just sat there and smiled as usual, "Maybe I _did_ develop some kind o' rare brain disease, perhaps it was because I'm hopelessly stuck with a' least three useless garbage." Gin somehow couldn't think of a better nickname and thought that this would do.

If asked who were the people he was referring to, it surely wouldn't be Aizen or Tousen, so the ex-Ninth Division Captain didn't make any comments, nor did Ulquiorra, who was sitting silently in his own cell, caring about nothing whatsoever. Grimmjaw and Luppi however, weren't that carefree.

"What did you say?" They growled. The child sitting across them in another cell looked up while nibbling at his nails, pronounced a weird accent, and looked down again.

------------ ---------------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------------------ --------

"They…they've been captured?"

Matsumoto Rangiku and Kuchiki Rukia dropped their ramen cups in which Ichigo had brought from the human world and gasped.

Hitsuyaga Toushirou, who was standing at the door, frowned as the cups hit the ground and spilled everything inside it. He had came to inform Ichigo and the others about Aizen but had certainly did not expect this kind of behavior.

"Get a grip of yourselves," Ishida Uryuu muttered as he sipped his cup of tea and glanced sadly at the spilled ramen, thinking that it was a waste of good food even though instant ramen were considered one of the cheapest food products since the 21st century.

Ichigo felt relieved and incredibly happy at the same time, "Well that's good to hear," he grinned and stretched lazily. Finally, the biggest problem was solved, and it didn't even involve him.

"That _is_ good to hear," Toushirou said in his usual coldness, yet everyone could tell he, too, was overjoyed, "In fact, according to Kenpachi-Taichou, Captain of the 11th Division, all of Azien's closest right-hand man, including Aizen himself, was thrown behind bars two days ago. Kenpachi-Taichou wouldn't tell me how did they manage to capture them—" He stopped and turned to face Ikkaku and Yumichika, somehow expecting to find an answer from them.

"Don't look at me like that," Ikkaku snarled frustratedly, "We wanted to join Taichou's mission too but he said we were not skilled enough, what the hell?" Yumichika sighed, "God dammit…guess he didn't know about our fight against one of Aizen's men."

That's_ my_ fight against Aizen's men," Ikkaku shot at him angrily. "Well it was you who told me to stay back because 'helping' would damage your personal image!" Yumichika shot back furiously. And then the line broke; which means the two best friends had once again caught each other up into a wrestling match. Ichigo and the others simply ignored them.

Toushirou continued, "So, as I was saying, we do not know how they got captured, but Kenpachi-Taichou had managed to give us their names, excluding Aizen, there's: Grimmjaw, a man with a really bad temper and had managed to bite a shinigami on the shoulder even though his was all tied up; Luppi, a girlish boy who believed was once dead, killed by Grimmjaw himself, but as how he had came back to life nobody knew; Ulquiorra, believed to be part Spanish. He was a creepy guy who rarely talks, let alone tell us his occupation when Kenpachi-Taichou had questioned him. All he did was glare. Then there's this funny kid who does not seem to speak, so we had no idea what his…or her name was, and the others refused to tell; Tousen Kaname, everybody know about him, then at last, our _beloved_ Ichimaru Gin." He finished the whole speech and grimaced at the name.

Rangiku didn't say anything towards her Taichou's reaction though. No matter how bad the others think Gin was, she still got mad whenever Toushirou spoke badly of him. Yet…she couldn't blame him. Toushirou had every reason to hate a man that betrayed Seireitei, betrayed the whole Soul Society, and worse of all, betrayed the ones that cared for him.

And now Gin was captured. Rangiku didn't know how she felt.

"Aizen-Taichou…was captured?" A weak voice sounded throughout the room and everyone had turned their head to see Hinamori Momo standing behind Toushirou, her shaking hands gripping nervously at her kimono.

"Momo-Bukutaichou…" Toushirou started, but Momo had interrupted with a shake of her head, "Please tell me…I just…wanted to know when'll be Aizen-Taichou's execution."

Toushirou was lost for words at the moment, where Rukia had chose to cut in, "It's going to be held next week, Sunday." She replied kindly. Momo stood there for a moment, her expression impossible to read. Then she nodded and said, "Thank you very much, Rukia-sama. I'll…be on my way now…"

She left. "You don't need to call me that…" Rukia started, but her voice gradually died away as the hem of Momo's robes disappeared around the corner. Yumichika stared for a moment, then sighed, "That poor girl. She still keeps on calling Aizen Sousuke "Aizen-Taichou" even though he was ranked as a criminal and his occupation was banned almost three years ago."

"You can't blame her. She couldn't accept the fact that Aizen had used her and had almost killed her just to satisfy his own plan," Chad, who was sitting beside Ishida, muttered knowingly. Orihime agreed, her eyes never left the door, "It had certainly ripped her heart apart. That was why she kept on thinking that Aizen was, perhaps controlled and she would give up anything to rescue him."

The sky had turned into a shade of light grey, and a thin sizzle of rain tickled down around Soul Society, in which they would land on windows, plitter-plattering merrily as the Shinigami inside continued their grim conversations. The rain had certainly failed to cheer them up.


	2. Chapter 2

It was his third night inside this cell, Ulquiorra thought to himself expressionlessly as he gazed through the narrow gap that clearly showed a landscape of a high cliff, in which stood, at least to his own opinion, the most hideous execution-weapons _ever_. A tall, rectangular-shaped frame and a long spear that went up to at least a hundred feet high. He never knew the name of these, and he didn't care.

In fact, he didn't seem to care about anything in his life. He didn't care about what others think, he didn't care nor object nor had any comments about Aizen-sama's mission or plan, he didn't even care about their imprisonment.

Yet he did wonder, for a fleeting moment, whether or not Aizen-sama would think of any ways for them to escape, since it would be quite weird to think that Aizen would just give up so easily. Not that he cared as much of course. Escaping or not, he didn't fear the upcoming execution and he didn't fear the upcoming death.

He partner was killed during the struggle right before they were captured, and he didn't do as much as scratched his ear. That big, clumsy lump with a huge hole through his stomach meant nothing to him. Death meant nothing to him. Not even his own.

"Ohhh— waiiii…"Ulquiorra shifted and turned his head toward that direction of the noise. It was right beside his won cell. "That mental kid," Ulquiorra breathed irritably as he watched the boy…or girl with a crown on its head playing with a lady bug on the stone floor. The kid glanced up from the now up-turned insect and smiled at Ulquiorra, pronounced a weird accent and sucked at his forefinger. The light of the moon shone through the gap in the tower and cast a shadow around the child, making him (A/N: just pretend it's a He.) as fragile and ghostly as ever.

Ulquiorra stared at him for a moment, shook his head, and turned his gaze toward the moon light-bathed wall. That kid reminded him of gullible children and infants, Ulquiorra thought, breaking his "I-don't-care" rule for the second time in his life. And infants reminded him of families. Though, of course, he never had one. The first thing he saw when he was born was a dark, dark room with Aizen-sama standing a few paces in front of him, a satisfied smile spread across his face. Ulquiorra had glanced at his own hands, at Aizen, then back at his own hands again. He had been no more than a living still-life, and he was confused, really confused, until Aizen-sama had spoken, telling him to put on the uniform everyone was wearing and telling him that, from now on, he would be serving him, serving Aizen, the only person he would be loyal to.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall. Until now, he had never wondered how it felt to have, like the humans had called, fathers and mothers, or perhaps brothers and sisters. He got them mixed up; they mean by families as in…a whole group of people…together? Like us, Arrankals? Or is there something families have that we do not?

His eyes remained closed as flash-backs washed instantly into his mind; flashbacks of everyone he had killed during these three years, under Aizen's command; flashbacks of children's hearts he had mentally (and physically) broken into bits and bits. A particular scene emerged from his mind and he saw a young Shinigami from the Thirteenth Division, in which he had slaughtered about two years ago. And he remembered, the Shinigami had stood at his ground facing him with his Zanpakutou raised, even though he was unmistakably shaking from head to toe. Ulquiorra had narrowed his eyes and killed the Shinigami in one swipe without hesitation. _Such useless courage_. The Shinigami's sister screamed and cried as she ran up and hugged what was remained of her brother. Ulquiorra had also remembered the girl turning towards him, her amber eyes nothing but anger. Ulquiorra still couldn't figure out why the death of a person seemed to cause her so much, but it didn't matter to him at the time as he remembered what she had told him:

"You cold-hearted, bastard demon—"

She never finished her sentence.

------------- ------------------ ------------------ --------------- --------------------- ---------------

The soft 'thud' of socks against the polished hard floor could be heard in the hall and, Rukia, who was sitting closest to the door, curiously peered outside and saw Kamamura Sajin, Captain of the Seventh Division coming towards this way. As he passed by their door, Rukia respectfully greeted him hello but only received a slight nod back. The others watched as Kamamura disappeared around the corner without a word.

"I haven't heard him said a word ever since…you know…" Rukia seemed worried. "Everyone knows it's because of Tousen," Ikkaku stated. He leaned back and scratched his bald forehead lazily, "I sort of felt bad for Kamamura-Taichou when I heard he had actually screamed his lungs out for Tousen to come back. I never knew he had such a strong relationship with him."

"There are so many things in Soul-Society that we do not know," Toushirou muttered and glanced at his Bukutaichou. Rangiku blinked confusingly, "…What?"

Ichigo thought over at what Toushirou had said, but still couldn't figure out what he meant. He glanced around the room and spotted something on the windowsill. It was a single Lily inside a white pot. "You know, Rangiku…" Ichigo started as he pointed at the Lily, "Over the pass three years, whenever I visited you guys and came to your room, I've always seen a single flower— a Lily to be precise— perched inside a little white vase by the windowsill. And once I've almost knocked it over, and you punched the crap out of me."

"Yes…so…?" Rangiku asked suspiciously. And as though something had just hit him, Ichigo stared into space and a grin had somehow started to form on his face. "Oh…" he said, as if he'd just figured out something extremely important. He made a noise that sounded somewhere between a giggle and laugh, and Ishida adjusted his glasses irritably, "If you have something interesting to share with us, it would certainly help if you spill it out."

Ichigo leaned back and grabbed the nearest cup of tea— which happened to be Ishida's, much to his furious surprise—, took a sip and looked straight at Rangiku, "Ever since that time, I knew that that flower means a lot to you," This time he pointed a finger at her matter-of-factedly, "Thus supported my belief: _It's from your lover. I'm positive._"

All the girls in the room gasped, except for Rangiku, who was now blushing furiously. "No! I…since when..! I…" She stuttered, only making her look more and more pathetic. Yumichika chuckled, "Well, that's something_ I _don't know," he said, "I've always thought that you were the kind of person who doesn't care about this stuff. I bet that's what you meant earlier, am I right, Toushirou-Taichou?"

Yet Toushirou shook his head, "It's…more than that." He simply said, and Orihime butted in, "Oh My God Rangiku-san! I never knew you've liked someone before! Please please _please _tell me who he is?" Her eyes were sparkling hopefully in which Rangiku was unable to resist and she thought she was now experiencing one of the worst moments in her life.

"Isn't it obvious?" Toushirou said, his face still as straight as ever, "The person Rangiku likes. I thought you guys knew all along. Rukia knew it too, I think," Rukia nodded nervously as Rangiku, eyes wide with surprise, turned to face her confusingly; she had never told her whom she liked. Ever.

"You were drunk last time, and last time I mean more than two years ago, after Aizen's betrayal. I've happened to pass by and was taken by surprise when I saw you crying, with a jug of Sake in your hand, on the balcony. I led you back to your room and before I could leave, I heard you talking to yourself—" Rukia glanced apologizingly and Rangiku, "— and somehow I had managed to hear all the things you had said, including all the events that had happened in your childhood, when you were living with him, how you guys met…and how you felt when he said the last words before he left, 'Ja ne.'"

So Rukia knew it too, Rangiku thought and she sighed heavily, yet there wasn't a hint of embarrassment in her anymore.

Orihime crossed her arms, "This didn't prove anything though, you still haven't told us who he is." Rangiku shifted uncomfortably, "Well…that is, I couldn't really tell…you wouldn't like…"

Ishida adjusted his glasses for the second time but, for the first time though, he sounded curious, "I'm never into gossiping, but then I'm quite curious at who you liked. It wouldn't hurt to tell us would it? It's not even embarrassing."

He just never knew how girls felt when they were trying their best to mention their secret lover.

"Then I bet she likes…Byakuya!" Ichigo called out dramatically and poor Rukia, who was taken by surprise, choked and inhaled her tea. Everyone except for Rangiku and Toushirou burst out laughing. "B-Brother? No way!" Rukia coughed and shook her head furiously as the dizzy feeling inside her head swam around and around.

"Although I have to admit he's good looking, I don't think Rangiku-Bukutaichou would fancy him," Ikkaku, after heaps of laugher, pointed out, "I bet it's Kira Izuru! I'm positive!" Roars of laugher exploded throughout the room again, and Rangiku's face was turning redder and redder every second.

"Oh, oh! Maybe it's Toushirou himself!" Ichigo, for the first time being illogical, blurted out before he could stop himself. He was then rewarded with a good slap on the face.

Toushirou, who had slapped Ichigo and was now flushing with embarrassment, bellowed, "Don't you DARE make such conclusions! And it's Toushirou-_Taichou_!" He crossed his arms together moodily and snorted, "By the way, take my advice, Fukutaichou: Just forget about him. That bastard had never cared for you, even though you guys were once living under the same roof. Because if he _did _care, he wouldn't have brought along his fox-smile and follow Aizen everywhere like a puppet. _He wouldn't have left you alone_."

With that he stood up frustratedly and marched through the door, shutting it loudly behind him.

Now everyone in the room knew, Rangiku was sure. There would be no debates about it. Everybody would know by now. They would know that she loved one of the most unbearable traitors in Soul Society. Rangiku suddenly felt sick.

"It's…Ichimaru…Gin?" Orihime said as she clenched her shirt in concern. Her expression was a shade of doubt, yet somehow she was quite sure that her guess was no mistake. She glanced at Rangiku, and saw that for some reason she looked incredibly tired. But she was smiling. A tired, helpless smile.

"Rangiku-san…" Orihime started, but Rangiku stopped her, "It's okay, Orihime. I know it's kind of hard for you guys to accept…" she lowered her head and suddenly she knew _exactly _how Momo felt.

"Wow…that's…certainly something I don't know," Ichigo seemed to be the first make to recover. Yumichika blinked, "So you mean you guys had actually be friends with each other when you were still young?" Rangiku nodded and spoke softly, "He's my only friend at the time…one time when we were back in our cottage on the outskirts of Rangukai, Gin had suddenly remembered it was October 9th and it was his birthday. He asked me what my birthday was but I told him I forgot because being in Rangukai for all these years, birth dates did not seem to matter anymore…"

She closed her eyes, as though remembering the scene as clearly as ever, then continued, "He had thought about it for a bit, and said, 'If that's so, then I'll set your birthday on the day we met.'" Rangiku smiled at herself as she said the last few words. The whole room was silent and the only and experiencing a huge emotional impact was Orihime, who was now so touched that she was closed to tears.

The others just sat there as they thought about Rangiku's story; The Ichimaru Gin they knew was always seen with a dangerous, unpredictable smile on his face, and had barely-open eyes in which people would never know what he was thinking. And more accurately, he had demonstrated himself as a traitor. This was a fact, and everybody knew of it. Yet…_yet_…

Ishida shook his head, "I'm really touched by your story, Rangiku," he said, trying his best to sound touched (not that he wasn't touched at all, of course), "But the lilies…according to Ichigo, they were renewed or replanted every time he came to visit…are you positive…?"

Rangiku smiled again and blushed, "Yes. That would be two things Taichou were wrong about Gin. If Gin didn't care for me, he wouldn't even bother to make up a date for my birthday, and if Gin didn't care, he wouldn't have…he wouldn't have came back all this way every year for the past three years just to give me the same present that I'd received every year ever since we'd met…a lily…he said it suited my name…and sometimes…" She broke off as she felt her vision started to blur and Rukia's hand patting gently on her back. But later on she had managed to continue anyways,

"…Sometimes I think his actions were dangerous and stupid. And although I've never seen him come and go, he was still risking his life for being spotted just to go and deliver the lily to me…" Her voice was pretty jagged by now and before she knew it, she had let her emotions take over.

Orihime went over and comforted her as she silently cried, feeling incredibly sorry for her and, perhaps, for the ex- Third Division Captain too, even though she would certainly not consider him as a friend.

"And now he's back, with the execution waiting for him a week later…I…I don't know what to do…"

Ichigo had witnessed this whole scene in silence and had sighed through his nose. He had always wanted a re-match with Ichimaru since he had defeated him rather easily on their first encounter. He would never forget that embarrassing moment, where he was sent flying into the sky by Ichimaru with just a flick of his Shinsou. From that time Ichigo was thirsty for a rematch. Yet by now, all he wanted was to slap him and wipe that fox smile off his face, just to make him pay back the consequences.

Ichigo excused himself and went outside, standing awkwardly under the moon. A few bats flew under it, making their wing glow. Ichigo watched until they disappeared into the night again. Ten minutes of concentrating thinking passed, and when Ichigo opened his eyes again, he still hadn't figured out why destiny had decided to make everybody's life so complicated.

TBC…


End file.
